1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for crimping a terminal to a conductor wherein the conductor is to be excluded from a non-crimpable portion of the terminal. In particular the invention relates to an apparatus wherein a conductor which is introduced to the apparatus is trimmed with respect to the terminal and the terminal is crimped thereto, all in a single operation.
2. Prior Art
Terminals to be crimped to electrical conductors typically have a crimpable portion and a non-crimpable portion. The crimpable portion is attached to the conductor by applying a load so as to deform the crimpable portion around an end of the conductor and tightly grip the end therein. The non-crimpable portion is reserved for attachment to a mating connector of an electrical device, and it is desirable that the end of the conductor be excluded from the non-crimpable portion so as not to interfere with a secure attachment to the mating connector. The end of the conductor may extend to an intermediate portion of the terminal between the crimpable and non-crimpable portions.
Machines for crimping terminals to conductors are well-known. Some of these machines automatically position end portions of the conductors with respect to their associated terminals so that the end portions do not extend into the non-crimpable portions of the terminals. Such machines have mechanisms which index successive ones of a plurality of terminals to a crimping station, and successively feed the ends of the conductors to a preselected location with respect to the terminals so that the ends remain outward of the non-crimpable portion after the crimping.
Some crimping machines do not have automatic mechanisms for positioning the conductor ends with respect to their associated terminals. One application of crimping machines without automatic positioning may be found in the production of magnet wires for motors, transformers, etc. Typically, two or more magnet wires are crimped in a single terminal. Ends of the magnet wires are manually introduced to a crimping machine by an operator who must take care to ensure that the ends do not extend into the non-crimpable, box end of the terminal. Further, the magnet wires typically have a protective straw which is slidable over the wires. An end of the straw is crimped in a specially adapted end portion of the crimpable portion of the terminal. A length of the wires must extend from the straw and be crimped in the remainder of the crimpable portion of the terminal to effect an electrical connection therewith. The operator must take care to maintain a relationship between the end of the wires and the end of the straw while manually inserting the wires to a particular depth with respect to the terminal. There is a need for an apparatus which will make it easier for the operator of a manual feed crimping machine to crimp a terminal to magnet wire while maintaining a proper relationship between an end of the magnet wire and its protective covering.
The above-described crimping machines require manual feeding of the wire conductors, but the machines typically have an automatic mechanism for feeding successive terminals from a strip of terminals which may be, for example, wound on a roll. Each of the terminals must be severed from the strip either before or after the crimping operation. It would be advantageous to combine a mechanism for severing terminals from the strip with a mechanism for correctly locating the ends of the wire and protective covering with respect to a terminal to be crimped thereon.